Page 88 of The Game Is Afoot

“Open up! It’s the police!”

Hank flings his hand—the one that’s not brandishing a knife at me—at the door. “So shedidcall them. Looks like you’re not always right.”

“Are you kidding me? Really,that’swhat you’re gonna do right now?”

“No, no, no!” Marigold shouts as she joins in on the fun, slapping Florence’s face.

I know that voice. It’s not the police.

It’s my beautiful, caring, and not at all annoyingly nosy neighbor Ms. Joyce, and she’s given me another fighting chance. I’m not going to waste this one.

I jump up and grab the water bottle. Florence’s eyes flash behind Marigold’s incessant slaps, but I’ve already slung it at the back of Hank’s skull before she can warn him. He drops the knife, and I kick it away from him into the corner.

Do I get the knife or run? Ms. Joyce is right outside. I decide to run.

The hesitation costs me, though. Hank sinks his grip into my hair right as my fingers brush against the knob, and he yanks me back to him.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” I scream out in pain—but also in rage, because I cannot believe this motherfucker is touching my hair. I twist and spit and jab him with my elbows, losing all sense of strategy or self-preservation—all I know is I want tohurt him back. I grab behind me, nicking my palm on something sharp—the knife—and I scream again.

That’s when the pounding starts. One loud thud, and then another. Then a few more. The door shakes with each one, and I fight even harder, with this sign that my salvation is so close.

“Mavis, we’re coming!” Ms. Joyce hollers, followed by a sharp crack as the wood splinters.

Is she actually—

A second later the whole thing falls off the hinges and Ms. Joyce and Mackenzie charge through.

Oh, shedid. I mean, Mackenzie probably gave her more than a little help, with how much she works out—and she uses that same strength now, to punch a shocked Hank in the jaw. He falls back with the force, and Mackenzie lunges toward him, stomping hard on the hand holding the knife. Soon, it’s in her hand, pointed at his gut. In the living room, Florence cowers in the corner while Ms. Joyce advances on her.

“Me and your mama are just going to hold hands behind her back while we wait for some more friends to come.”

“Hi!” Marigold says cheerfully. “Hi! Hi!”

I fall down to the ground, gasping for air as the sound of sirens gets louder and closer.I am safe. I am fine.I repeat it in my head over and over, willing my heart to slow down, my vision to stop swimming.

“Mavis. Mavis!”

“Oh my god, Maves!”

I think maybe I’m passing out, ’cause I’m hearing things. My head spins as I try to stand up on shaky legs, but before I can fall back over, strong arms catch me.

I look up and see dark, downturned eyes I’ve known for over half of my life.

And then, just behind him, blond hair catching the sun.

“Ms. Joyce called me,” Corey says, his voice thick. “And I called your dad…and Jack.”

“Oh. Okay.”

I flash them both a dazed smile and steady myself, gripping the side of the front door. A jolt of pain shoots up my arm from my bloody palm, but it’s nothing compared to the tightness in my throat, my chest. Slowly, I stumble past them out the front door.

Sirens are blaring from the cop cars screeching in, drowning out Corey’s and Jack’s concerned calls. The thundering in my ears is even louder. Two officers in uniform rush past me, yelling warnings at Florence and Hank, but I keep going until I reach our front lawn and drop down to my knees. Right before I face-plant into something resembling child’s pose—the only pose other than savasana I kind of remember from all those unfinished yoga videos—I see a gray sedan pull up to the curb. A few moments later, I hear the sound of careful footsteps approaching.

“Ms. Miller, what are you doing?” Detective De La Rosa asks. I don’t know if Detective Berry is with him, feeling like shit for ignoring me and risking my life. I don’t care.

“I’m doing nothing,” I say into the grass. My eyes are closed tight, and if I stay just like this, I can breathe. I’m pretty sure an ant is making its way into my right ear, but I’m not moving for anything.

“Ms. Miller, we need to talk to you right now and figure out what happened here.”

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